Early screenshots leak as Microsoft remains tight-lipped.

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The next version of Windows is apparently codenamed "Blue," and current rumors are that it will be released some time this year. If it pans out, this would mark the end of Microsoft's three-year upgrade cycle.

The first alleged leaks of "Blue" have started to hit the Internet. As is common for early leaks, they're not giving a great deal away. Such leaks tend to fixate on version numbers, and such is the case with the "Blue" leaks.

We do have a couple of tiny morsels of information, however. First, a screenshot from Russian site Microsoft Portal contains both a build number—9319—and a version number—6.3. If accurate, this means Microsoft is sticking with its policy of keeping the major version at 6, using only the minor version to distinguish between releases. 6.0 was Windows Vista, 6.1 was Windows 7, Windows 8 is 6.2, and so Windows "Blue" is logically enough version 6.3.

Second, Mary-Jo Foley is reporting that her sources say the first milestone build of "Blue" was completed within the last few days. This build, milestone M1, represents the halfway point of Windows "Blue" development. Foley's sources say there will only be one other milestone build before release.

Beyond that? It's a mystery. The new Windows version is sure to have new APIs—perhaps extending the reach and capabilities of Windows 8's new WinRT API—and it's inevitable that Microsoft will make some kind of change to the user interface. But what those new things will be, at the moment, is anybody's guess.

Microsoft is not commenting on the matter. With less than a year to go before the release of a new version of Windows, the company would normally be communicative with public betas and abundant developer documentation. In this new world of (allegedly) annual releases, however, silence is the order of the day.